Over the Counter, under the Radar: Inequitably Distributing New York City's Late-Enrolling High School Students. Executive Summary

Arvidsson, Toi Sin; Fruchter, Norm; Mokhtar, Christina

Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University

Every year, some 36,000 students who enroll in New York City high schools without participating in the high school choice process are labeled as "over-the-counter" or OTC students and are assigned a school by the New York City Department of Education (DOE). These young people are among the school system's highest-needs students: new immigrants, special needs students, previously incarcerated teens, poor or transient or homeless youth, students over age for grade, and students with histories of behavioral incidents in their previous schools. Recognizing the gap in research on this substantial population of students, as well as the need to increase public concern about the concentration of high-needs students in struggling schools, this report analyzes unique data on the assignment of OTC students to New York City high schools to determine whether those students are disproportionately assigned to particular high schools. Findings and recommendation are provided that would significantly reduce the disparities and inequities that have characterized OTC assignment policies. These would also encourage all high schools to reconfigure their instructional resources and support programs to meet the needs of a predictable rate of incoming OTC students. [See full report at ED558012.]